Friday May 01, 2026
Changing Time - Nantucket's Oldest House with Virna Gonzalez
On this episode of The Nantucket Gam, we explore the complex history of how Nantucket's Oldest House changed over time into what it is today. From it's creation during the colonial era of Nantucket, through its numerous owners and to its modern history as a historic property of the Nantucket Historical Association, the Oldest House has seen many changes; each representative of the needs of the time. Plus, stay tuned for an interview with ReMain's Virna Gonzalez!
1 months ago
I think it is folklore that the dispute was ceremonially put to rest when Tristram Coffin’s grandson, Jethro, married John Gardner’s daughter, Mary, in 1686. Their wedding gift was indeed a new house—the Coffins supplied the lumber, and the Gardners supplied the land. But earlier, Abigail Coffin (another grandchild of Tristram Coffin) married Nathaniel Gardner (the son of, not John Gardner, but his brother Richard). The date of their marriage is not listed. But in June of 1686, their daughter Hannah was born, suggesting a marriage that predates that of Jethro and Mary. So much for folklore.